Model airplane fuel and flight timer



Jan. 22, 1963 J. TATONE 3,074,204

MODEL AIRPLANE FUEL AND FLIHT TIMER Filed April 10, 1961 INVENTOR.

Jam! YETONE. BY

United States Patent Oflfice 3,0742% Patented Jan. 22, 1963 3,074,204 MODEL AIRPLANE FUEL AND FLIGHT TllViER John Tatone, 1275 Geneva Ave., San Francisco, Calif- Filed Apr. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 101,748 4 Claims. (Cl. 46-78) My present invention relates to model airplanes and more particularly to a combined fuel and flight timing device for controlling the flight of a model airplane.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel, compact and eflective timing device by which the free flight time and fuel feed of a model airplace can be controlled in an effective manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined free flight and fuel flow controlling device which will operate to control the flight time and fuel feed of a model airplane for pre-determined and different periods with a single timing mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined free flight and fuel flow controlling device for model airplanes having a single energy storing spring operated mechanism for timing both the period of free flight and the flow of fuel to the engine in a simultaneous manner or by which the free flight time or the fuel flow time may be controlled independently.

Other objects and advantages will be in part evident to those skilled in the art and in part pointed out hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of an embodiment of my invention showing the timer in its full normal size,

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the device as shown in FIGURE 1 with a housing over the driving mechanism,

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the timer with the operating mechanism enclosed,

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the timer mechanism as employed in the device of FIGURE 1 and taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 5, and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view similar to FIGURE 3 with the apparatus enclosing cover removed.

The flying of model airplanes is now recognized as a national pastime or hobby and in the promotion of this activity there is held from time to time and at various localities throughout the United States competitive meets in which speed, height, time of flight and economy in fuel consumption are major considerations, and in connection with these contests there has developed a need for a model plane carried control means for obtaining an accurate timing of an actual flight whether free or powered, as well as a control of the fuel supply. For these purposes there has been developed a number of separate fuel and free flight timing devices, but because of the fact that they are airborne, one or the other of these devices is generally omitted. Because of the fact that these devices are airborne they must be of extremely light construction without any sacrifice as to the accuracy or effectiveness of the control so provided for. Flight timing devices have been in existence for sometime, but in order to save weight the time of flight is in many instances determined by a timing of the flow of fluel to the airplane engine. With two such separate devices there is added unnecessary weight to the dual control as each such device will require its own timing and/ or control operating mechanism, and as a result the load thus imposed upon the airplane will tend to restrict its performance. It is therefore a principal object of my pres ent invention to provide a device in which the two functions; namely, the time of free flight and control of the fuel flow to the engine are accomplished with a single or common operating mechanism that may be simultaneously set to control both of these function or operate separately to control either one of these functions independently of the other.

While my invention is primarily concerned with the combined control of the fuel flow and free flight time of a model airplane with a single timing means, the device here described need not necessarily be used to control both of these functions. In other words the timing of the fuel flow to the engine may be controlled independently of the dethermalizing control or the dethermalizing control may be used without the fuel flow controlling valve.

In FIGURESI, 2 .and 3 of the drawing my dual function control device is shown in its normal size and as constructed and assembled upon a substantially flat front plate or panel 10 on the outer face of which there is positioned a flat timing disc 11 and a fuel flow controlling arm 12. The timing disc 11 and the fuel controlling arm 12 are respectively associated with graduated scale-s 13 and 14 by which the setting of the flight timing disc 11 and the setting of the fuel flow control are 12 may be predetermined.

In order to control the free flight of most model airplanes, it is the practice to provide a tail assembly that is held in its normal operating position upon the body of the airplane by an elastic band or other tie means which can be rendered ineffective after a predetermined interval of time. Often a model airplane will encounter a thermal updraft which will sustain the plane even without power and the purpose of these destructible tail assemblies is to dethermalize the plane as insurance against loss of the plane or its final descent at some inconvenient or too distant point. In one such arrangement the tail assembly is held in a normal operating position by an elastic band that is held in a stretched condition between the tail assembly and a timed latch means for release after a predetermined period of time.

Associated with the timing disc 11 as contemplated by my invention there is an airplane tail assembly retaining arm 15 that is biased into a releasing or operative position by an elastic band (not shown) which is stretched between the airplane tail assembly and over an upstanding extension 16 of the lever arm 15 at the other side of a hinge like mounting 17. Also exposed on the front face of the top plate or panel 10 there is pivotally mounted a control lever 18 that is adapted and arranged when in one position to hold the operating mechanism in a predetermined set condition when wound as will hereinafter appear. When this control lever 18 is in another position it will release the operating mechanism and thus permit the timing disc 11 and/or the fuel flow controlling arm to operate to disable the airplane and/or cut oi the fuel supply after a predetermined lapse of time. In association with the fuel flow control arm 12 I show the front face or panel 10 rolled up at its edge to form a cylindrical sleeve 19 through which a length of soft rubber or plastic fuel conducting hose 20 is passed. In this manner the length of fuel conducting hose 20 is held in a position where a pinch-off of a flow of fluid will be effected when the fuel flow control arm 12 is released after its predetermined set period of time. When installed upon an airplane the timing device mechanism will be recessed into the fuselage and secured with the plate or panel 10 secured against the outer surface thereof by screws passing through holes 21 provided therein. The timing disc 11 has a notch 22 through which the lever arm 15 will pass when released and for setting the timing disc 11 it is provided with oppositely spaced thumb knobs 23. Likewise, the fuel control lever arm 12 has an operating knob 24. In FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings the front plate or panel is shown as also carrying a housing in which a spring operating mechanism is enclosed and protected against the accumulation of foreign matter.

In FIGURES 4 and 5 I have in order to make possible a proper showing of the operating mechanism shown my timing and fuel flow controlling device enlarged to twice its normal size. As will be seen the operating mechanism consists of a somewhat complicated chain of gears that is nested between two spindle supporting plates 26 and 27 which are secured in spaced relation at the back of the front panel 10 by suitable spaced studs. With particular reference to FIGURE 4 of the drawing, the outline of the front panel 10 as indicated by dot and dash lines has been broken away to reveal the outer surface of the spaced gear train supporting plate 26. In this showing the numeral 28 designates a shaft upon which the timing disc 11 is mounted and for driving the shaft 28 there is a clock spring 29 which is secured at its outer end to the post 30 carried by the top plate 26. An additional clock spring 31 is also here shown as operating to bias the fuel controlling arm .12 counterclockwise and into its operating position where it will pinch the fuel conducting conduit 20 and thus stop the flow of fuel to the engine. This clock spring 31 is keyed at its inner end to a shaft 32 upon which the arm 12 is mounted and at its outer end this spring 31 is secured to a post 33. In addition to the clock springs 29 and 31 there is also here shown an escapement star wheel 34 having a cooperating pawl 35 by which the operating speed of the timing mechanism is controlled. The star wheel 34 is connected with a train of speed reducing gears mounted between the spaced plates 26 and 27 and the pawl 35 is mounted upon overhanging bracket 36 carried by the top plate 26. As is more clearly shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawing, the shaft 28 carries the timing disc 11 and is biased in a clockwise direction, as indicated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings. The clock spring 29 also carries a freely rotatable ratchet wheel 37 with which a dog 38 engages. The dog 38 is carried by a main gear 39 that is adapted to 'be connected in driving relation with the shaft 28 through the medium of the dog 38 when the spring 29 is wound. Associated with the gear 39 andforrning a driving connection between the main gear 39 and the star wheel 34 there is a chain of speed reducing gears 46, 41, 42 and 43 by which the escapernent provided by the star wheel 34 and the pawl 35 will operate to control the speed of the gear 39 and thus also movement of the timing disc 11. At the other side of the main gear 39 there is a spur gear 44 that is biased into engagement with the main gear 39 by means of a laterally operating spring 45. At its upper end the spindle of the spur gear 44 extends into an angularly disposed slot 46 so that when the main gear is operating in its clockwise direction the spur gear 44 will move along the slot 46 and be drawn into driving relation therewith. Also associated with the spur gear 44 there is a gear 47 that is keyed upon the shaft 32 that carries the fuel flow control arm 12. This shaft 32, as previously stated, is biased into counter-clockwise direction by the clock spring 31 and when the lever arm 12 is moved in a clockwise direction with respect to its graduated scale 14 the spur gear 44 will be caused to move downwardly in the slot 46 as viewed in FIGURE 4 of the drawings and this downward movement will bring the spur gear 44 into full mesh between the main gear .39 and the gear 47. Under these conditions it will be seen that when the device is in operation the clock device to perform its free flight timing functions independently of the fuel flow control, the gear 47 is shown as having a portion scarfed away in its circumference at the point 48 where the lever arm 12 will be in its fuel flow cutoff position. When the spur gear 44 comes into register with this scarfed away portion 48 of the gear 47 the main gear will be free of the gear 47 and continue in its free flight timing disc operating movement. In order to permit a counterclockwise movement of the timing disc 11 as when setting a pointer 49 carried thereby with respect to the graduated scale 13, as shown in FIG- URE 1 of the drawing, the gear 40 of the timing train of gears is also pivotally mounted with its spindle projecting at its upper end into a slot 51 disposed as shown in FIGURE 4. In this arrangement the pinion portion of the gear 40, like the pinion 44, will be backed out of driving relation with the main gear 39 when the timing dis-c 11 is turned in a clockwise direction as when windingits driving clock spring 29. In this operation the winding of the clock spring 29 will be accomplished independently of the timing star wheel 34 and the pawl 35.

It-is believed that the operation of the device will be clearly. understood from theabove; however, it may be added that when the control lever 18 (not shown in FIG- URES 4 and S) is in position as shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings a depending end thereof will engage the stanwheel engaging pawl 35 and thus prevent any timing operation :being introduced. Under these conditions the flight timing disc 11 may be rotated counterclockwise to any desired degree with the airplane tail assembly retaining arm 15 extending thereunder. At the same time the fuel flow controlling lever arm 12 may be rotated clockwise with respect to the graduated scale 14 associated therewith to any desired degree depending upon the amount of fuel to be delivered during any predetermined period of time, as will be determined by the setting of the lever arm 12 with respect. to its graduated scale 14. During these operations the clock spring drive 29 will be wound as will also be the clock spring 31 and the timer will then be held in this condition until the control lever 18 is moved into a position where the depending end thereof will disengage the pawl 35 and thus permit the star wheel timing escapement to come into operation. Then as the slot 22 comes into register with the underlying retaining arm 15 this arm will swing upwardly under the influence of the elastic band (not shown) which is stretched between the upward extension 16 of the lever arm 15 and the tail assembly. This will release the tail assembly from its normal position and thus disable and dethermalize the plane for a termination of the particular flight. At the same time and prior to this operation of fuel controlling lever arm 12 will have been caused to rotate clockwise until the scarfed portion 48 of the gear 47 comes into alignment with the spur gear 44 and at this point the gear 47 will be released and permit the lever arm 12 to move under the influence of its biasing clock spring 31 with a snap action and against the fuel conducting tube 20.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose my invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated a specific form and arrangement, I desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific form disclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a flight time and fuel flow controlling device for model airplanes, the combination of a face plate having a flight indicating scale and a fuel how time indicating scale etched on the face thereof, a tail assembly holding lever pivotally mounted at one end of said face plate, a fuel flow valve means mounted at the other end of said face plate, a time control setting disc having a pointer to be set with respect to said flight time indicating scale, a valve operating lever pivotally mounted for setting with respect to said fuel flow time indicating scale, a spring driven timing mechanism having a chain of gears timed by a star wheel escapement, said time control setting disc being adapted and arranged when turned in one direction to wind the spring of said timing mechanism, means for maintaining said spring driven mechanism in a Wound condition, a shaft upon which said valve operating lever is mounted, an auxiliary gear carried by said shaft, a pinion operating between the spring driven timing mechanism and said auxiliary gear, characterized by the fact that said auxiliary gear has a portion of its periphery scarfed away at the point corresponding with the fuel valve closed position of said lever and said time control setting disc has means for releasing said tail assembly holding lever when said time control setting disc has moved through a predetermined distance with respect to the indicating scale associated therewith as the means for holding said spring driven mechanism is operated to release said time control setting disc, whereby said spring driven timing mechanism will operate in a continuous manner to first time the operation of said valve operating lever and subsequently release said tail assembly holding lever as a single continuous operation.

2. In a flight and fuel flow controlling device for model airplanes, the combination of a flight timing mechanism consisting of a timing disc, a clock spring drive for rotating said timing disc in one direction when Wound by a rotation of said timing disc in a reverse direction, a gear train associated with said clock spring having a conventional escapement for controlling the speed of said flight timing disc, a main gear of said gear train driven by said clock spring an independent gear mounted in co operating relation with said main gear, a shaft driven by said independent gear, a radially extending lever arm carried by said shaft, a fuel controlling valve disposed in the path of movement of said lever arm, a spring for biasing said lever arm into operating engagement with said fuel controlling valve, said independent gear having a point in its periphery scarfed away, and a floating pinion forming a driving connection between said main gear and said independent gear normally operated as a drive between said main gear and said independent gear when said lever arm is out of engagement with said fuel controlling valve and being adapted and arranged to release said independent gear when the scarfed away portion thereof comes into register with said pinion, whereby said lever arm will operate independently of the timing mechanism and move with a snap action into its fuel flow controlling engagement with said fuel controlling valve while said main gear continues to operate said timing disc under the control of the escapement of said gear train.

3. In a flight and fuel flow controlling device for model airplanes, the combination of a flight timing mechanism consisting of a timing disc, a spring drive for rotating said timing disc in one direction when wound, a gear train associated with said spring drive having a conventional escapement for controlling the speed of said flight timing disc, a main gear of said gear train being adapted and arranged to be driven by said spring drive, an in dependent gear mounted in the plane of said main gear, a shaft driven by said independent gear, a radially extending lever arm carried by said shaft, a fuel conducting hose supported in the path of movement of said lever arm, a spring for biasing said lever arm and said independent gear into fuel flow interrupting engagement with said fuel conducting hose, said independent gear having a point in its periphery scarfed away, and a floating pinion forming a driving connection between said main gear and said independent gear normally operated as a drive between said main gear and said independent gear when said lever arm is out of engagement with said fuel conducting hose and being adapted and arranged to become inoperative when the scarfed away portion of said independent gear comes into register with said pinion, whereby said lever arm will be freed from the timing mechanism and move with a snap action into fuel flow interrupting engagement with said fuel conducting hose while said main gear continues to operate said timing disc for flight timing purposes under the control of the escapement of said gear train.

4. In a unitary fuel flow controlling and free flight timed dethermalizer for model airplanes, the combination of a fuel flow controlling valve normally biased into a closed position, a dethermalizing latch means for maintaining the tail assembly of a model airplane in a free flight condition, and a single spring operated timing mechanism having connections With said fuel flow controlling valve and with said dethermalizing latch means adapted and arranged to time the flow of fuel to the airplane engine for power flight and subsequently disable the airplane tail assembly for free thermal flight after a predetermined period of lapsed time.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,457,281 Shannon Dec. 28, 1948 2,902,089 Daly Sept. 1, 1959 2,995,150 Englholdt Aug. 8, 1961 3,045,391 Stanzel July 24, 1962 OTHER REFERENCES American Modeler for June 1959, pages 64 and 65. 

4. IN A UNITARY FUEL FLOW CONTROLLING AND FREE FLIGHT TIMED DETHERMALIZER FOR MODEL AIRPLANES, THE COMBINATION OF A FUEL FLOW CONTROLLING VALVE NORMALLY BAISED INTO A CLOSED POSITION, A DETHERMALIZING LATCH MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THE TAIL ASSEMBLY OF A MODEL AIRPLANE IN A FREE FLIGHT CONDITION, AND A SINGLE SPRING OPERATED TIMING MECHANISM HAVING CONNECTIONS WITH SAID FUEL FLOW CONTROLLING VALVE AND WITH SAID DETHERMALIZING LATCH MEANS ADAPTED AND ARRANGED TO TIME THE FLOW OF FUEL TO THE AIRPLANE ENGINE FOR POWER FLIGHT AND SUBSEQUENTLY DISABLE THE AIRPLANE TAIL ASSEMBLY FOR FREE THERMAL FLIGHT AFTER A PREDETERMINED PERIOD OF LAPSED TIME. 